Cell-case machine.



A. W. D. WEIS & J. STARMAN.

CELL CASE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 8.1916.

, I, Ma?* Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

2 $HEETSSHEET I.

A. W. D. WEIS & J. STARMAN. CELL CASE MACHINE.

APPLICATION men SEPT. 8. ms.

1,290,816. Patented Jan. 7,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ALWIN w. D.- WEIS, F QUINCY, ILLINOIS, AND JOSEPH STARMAN, OF CEDARRAPIDS,

. IOWA.

cnnn-casn momma.

Specification 01' Letters fatent.

Patented Jan. 7,1919.

Application filed September 8, 1916. Serial No. 119,018.

Linn and States of Illinois and Iowa,*:have

invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Cell-Case Machines; andwe do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

This invention relates to cell-case machines of the type employed forautomatically punching, cutting and assembling the collapsible papercell-cases commonly known as egg-case fillers, and used for the packingand transportation ofeggs.

The invention relates more especially to the assembling parts of themachine, the object being to so improve this portion of the mechanism asto admit of the use of continuous rotary motion in transferring thecut-off filler strips to the strip-carrier, and there assembling them inthe intermatched collapsible egg-case filler of commerce.

Mechanism embodying the invention is herein shown as applied to acell-case machine illustrated and described in a patent to Al'win W. D.Weis, dated April 15, 1913, and numbered 1,059,325, to which referencemay be had for details relating to the general machine.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a side view of mechanism embodying our improved assemblingapparatus, together with related parts of the general machine. Fig. 2-is a fragmentary front view of the same, partly in section. Fig. 3 is aview showing the feed-finger cam, and illustrating, with a few fingersand finger-bars, the action of said cam. The figure shows also one ofthe stripper fingers. Fig. 4i is a plan view of one of the finger-barsand its connections. Fig. 5 isa cross-section of the same, andillustrates its use in handling narrow filler strips, a fragmentarystripper finger being also shown.

In order to a clear understanding of the present invention it is to beexplained that the general cellcase machine embraces mechanism forfeeding forward from a roll of strawboard mounted at each side of themachine, and stepeby-step, the stock required tov form single fillerstrips, which in practice'difi'er in the style of their punching, andare preferablymade interlocking. One of these strips is'hereindesignated as A and the cross-strip with which it interlocks, as B. Thepunching and cutting -mechanism 1, which may be referred to briefly asthe punch-head, is suitably mounted on the main frame '2 of the machine,and has a vertical reciprocating motion, coinciding with theintermittent feed of the strawboard stock, through suitable actuatingmechanism not herein shown. The movements of these parts are short, andmay therefore be as rapid as desired. The assembling mechanism, however,can have but .a limited intermittent motion, as considerable masses ofmechanism must be moved back and forth through considerable distances.It is therefore desirable that the assembling of the filler be effected,in whole or in part, by continuous rotary motion. In this invention theoperation is so effected completely.

The filler-strips are assembled in forms 3 provided with elastic fingers4, and in a manner so familiar as to need no description. These formsare attached revolubly to a chain 5 running on sprockets 6, the firstseries of strips being thrust in on the ascending side of the chain, andthe finishing crossstrips onthe descending side, which is the sideherein illustrated. It will be understood that at the top of the machineeach form is given a quarter turn, so that the horizontal finishingstrips shall intermatch with vertical ones. This chain-gang has acontinuous movement in the direction indicated by the arrow. A similarmovement is given to the mechanism which transfers the individual stripsfrom the place of cutoff to the assembling forms and there thrusts thembetween the proper fingers. This mechanism forms the subject matter ofthis invention, and will now be described in detail.

In suitable bearings attached to the main frame is journaled a shaft 7carrying near each end a wheel 8 secured thereto. Bearings similar tothat shown at 9 are pre- Journaled in the rims of the Wheels 8 is aseries of finger-bars 11 bearing elastic fingers 12,-similar to those ofthe forms. In practice they are attached to studs 13 (Fig.

5), and when completely inserted the fillerstri does not reach the barby a little space,

su cient to receive a gang of fingers 14 extending upwardly from below.They are here shown as adjustably attached by clips 0 15 to a bar 16secured to the main frame.

These fingers serve as strippers and bottomers for the inserted strips,that is to say, the strips inserted in the carrier forms, which travelclose to them. This insertion 15 takes place above (on the opposite sideof the machine, below) the points of the stripper fingers, and as thecarrier moves onward the fingers strip the strips from the fingers ofthe rotary conveyer and hold and 20 force them home in the carrierfingers. The spacial travel of the conveyer coincides with that of thecarrier. It will be seen that its fingers on one side run close to thecut-ofi, the unsevered strip being fed directly into them by theintermittent strawboard feed.

At the opposite-side the fingers are carried in and among the carrierfingers, so that as the carrier moves forward in a straight line, thestrips, conveyed in a curve, are accurately placed in the carriers withno interruption in the forward movement of either mechanism. Evidentlyin so doing the respective fingers must alternate sidewise, as indicatedin Fig. 4. It will also 85 be seen that in transferring the strips tothe carriers the conveyer fingers assume positions practically parallelwith those of the carrier, since there must necessarily be spacialagreement in order that the strips may be accurately placed. Thisspacial registration of the fingers is efiected by means of a fixed cam17 suitably attached to some stable part of the machine, as the mainframe. Following the groove 18 of this cam are travelers 19 mounted oncrank-arms 20 attached to the ends of the finger-bars. The curve of theright side of the cam (Fig. 1) swings the finger-bars to the properpositions at this side. On the other, entering side, the cam is soformed as to impart a difi'erent position to the fingers as they passthe line of the entering strip. Here it will be seen that the fingersare made to converge outwardl by which means the flared lips-of the gersdelay at this line long enough to permit the strip to be thrust in andcut ofi'. Between these opposite sides the fingers gradually assume theradial position shown at the top of the rotary con-- veyer. Throughoutits entire course the curves of the cam areso gradual as to admit of anydesired speed in the operation of the machine, without undue vibrationor any disturbance of strip-registration. It is 56 therefore possible torun the machine as fast as the punch and cut-ofi' will allow, which isequivalent to a very high productiveness in the machine as a whole.

The machine is sometimes adjusted for the makin of very narrow, orshallow, fillers, used or cushions in the cases. By a simple device thesame assembling mechanism may be used for the narrow as for the widerstrips. Referring to Fig. 4: it will be seen that the finger-bars areprovided with stop-studs 21 adjustably secured by setscrews 22. Normallythey are set as shown. When it is desired to assemble narrow strips thestuds are setforward, as shown inFig. 5, with a corresponding adjustmentof the stripper fingers, 14., which may be set outwardly or inwardly byloosening and again tightening the clips 15 by which the fingers aresecured to the bar 16.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

v 1. In a cell-case machine,a train of stripcarrying fingers advancingin a right line, a revolving strip-conveyer having permanently pinchingfingers intersecting and interspacing the paths of the carrier fingers,and means for gradually presenting the conveyer fingers alongside thecarrier fingers and withdrawing them therefrom in strip-" alinementtherewith. I

2. In a cell-case machine, a train of stripcarrying fingers advancingcontinuously, a

revolving strip-conveyer having permanently pinching fingersintersecting and interspacing those of the carrier through an arc oftheir movement, and means adapted to parallel the conveyer fingers withthose of the carrier while describing said are.

3. In a cell-case machine, a train of uniformly spaced strip-carryingfingers advancing regularly in a right line'and perpendicular to thelength of the fingers, a revolving strip-conveyer having approximatelyradial fingers advancing in unison with those of the carrier, butlateral thereto, and through a curve intersecting the path of thecarrier fingers, a movable sup port for the conveyer fingers, and meansadapted to control the movement of said support, whereby the receivingfingers of the carrier and the discharging fingers of the conveyer arein practical alinement throughout said curve.

4. In a cell-case machine having a train of continuously advancingstrip-carriers, a revolving strip-conveyer having fingers adapted tointersect the path of the carrier during a part of such revolution, anda series of interposed stripper fingers with inclined free ends passingbehind the strips during such intersection, and adapted to strip themfrom the conveyer as it and the carrier advance.

5. In a cell-case machine having suitable punching and cuttingmechanism, and

means to feed forward the punched sheet, a revolving strip-conveyerprovided with gangs of alined, tangentially movable fingers, supportingrock-bars therefor, connecting levers, and means, as a cam with a slow,unbroken curve, adapted to carry each gang of fingers past the line ofthe punched sheet with a gradually changing angle of presentation,whereby the receiving lips of the fingers are delayed in passing saidline, and with no abrupt movement of any of the moving parts.

6. In a cell-case machine having a suitable feeding, punching andcutting mechanism, and an oppositely disposed strip-carrier continuouslymoving, a strip-conveyer provided with gangs of alined fingers,supporting bars therefor, connecting levers, and means, as asubstantially elliptical cam engaging said levers and adapted to presentthe gangs of fingers to the punched strips in gradually converging orderthereto in approaching, passing and retreating from the presentationlevel of said strip, and at the opposite side to present the gangs offingers in alinement with intersecting fingers of the strip-carriers,throughout the curve described in said lntersection.

7. In a cell-case machine, a strip-conveyer having gangs ofstrip-holding fingers, supporting rock-bars therefor, stopstuds setmovably in said bars, and fastening setscrews therefor, whereby theconveyer is adapted for strips of varying width, as set forth.

8. In a cell-case machine, a strip-conveyer having gan s ofstrip-holding fingers, supporting roc -bars therefor, adjustablestopstuds set movably in said bars, fastening setscrews therefor,strippers intersecting the paths of the fingers, and means for adjustingthe strippers inwardly or outwardly according to the widths of thestrips.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

ALWIN W. D. WEIS. JOSEPH STARMAN. Witnesses:

EMMA G. SUFFICOOL, J. M. ST. JOHN.

